US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin back in hospital, transfers duties

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers criticized Austin last month for failing to disclose a cancer diagnosis and subsequent hospitalizations in December and January, including to President Joe Biden. Austin is scheduled to travel to Brussels for a Wednesday meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was hospitalized in Washington on Sunday for treatment of "symptoms suggesting an emergent bladder issue", a Pentagon spokesperson said.

Austin, 70, later transferred the duties of his office to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder said in a statement. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers criticized Austin last month for failing to disclose a cancer diagnosis and subsequent hospitalizations in December and January, including to President Joe Biden. He apologized during a televised news briefing.

He is scheduled to testify before Congress on Feb. 29 about the situation. The incident triggered a political uproar. Some prominent Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, called for Austin to be removed from his job. Austin is a retired four-star general who led forces in Iraq and is America's first Black defense secretary.

Biden, a Democrat, has said he has confidence in Austin despite what the president agreed was a lapse in judgment. Austin is scheduled to travel to Brussels for a Wednesday meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. It was not clear if his hospitalization would affect those travel plans.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)